


Boyz Nite

by Cheru-chan1316 (cmbebop)



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types
Genre: Alcohol, Dancing, Gay Bar, Modeling, Multi, Teasing/Bullying, night club
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-10-11
Updated: 2012-10-11
Packaged: 2018-12-15 15:00:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11808369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cmbebop/pseuds/Cheru-chan1316
Summary: Roy Mustang is one of the top dogs at a well-known Amestrian modeling Agency. The onetime model turned scout and agent didn’t always have it so easy, however. Orphaned at a young age, Roy basically raised himself until he met Doc, a well-meaning old man and club owner, who takes Roy under his wing and helps Roy get back on his feet. Years later Doc has taken in another stray with a similar past to Roy’s. Enter Edward Elric, a fiery young blond who has caught Roy Mustang’s eye, but can Roy catch Ed’s?





	Boyz Nite

It wasn’t quite six o’clock on a Wednesday night when the rickety doors to the nightclub opened and closed with a tremendous bang, surprising the burly old man who had been pulling chairs from the tables and setting them in their proper positions on the floor. The gray-haired man glanced over to find one of his most loyal patrons hurrying out of the unusual stormy weather that had been plaguing Amestris as of late. 

“You really need to get that door fixed, Doc. The damn thing nearly flies off its hinges any time anyone touches it,” a tall, black-haired man said, brushing damp bangs back from his dark eyes.

“Ah, Roy. Yes, I’ve been meaning to fix that for a while now. Just haven’t found the time,” Doc said with a friendly smile as he wiped his hands on his brown trousers and straightened out his loose, blue shirt “You’re here early tonight. Bad day at work?”

“No, a good one actually. The scouts brought in two new girls and we got an amazing offer from Central Chic for a shoot next month. Maes is ecstatic,” Roy said, grabbing one of the red bar stools and sitting down gracefully. 

Shrugging out of his damp, tailored jacket and laying it on the bar, Roy unbuttoned his cuffs and rolled the sleeves of his white dress shirt up to his elbows, revealing his muscular forearms and a shiny, gold watch. 

“He would be,” Doc said fondly. “I haven’t seen him around in a while. How’s he doing? He married that Gracia girl, didn’t he?”

“Yes, that’s right. He’s head over heels for her. Did you know that they’re having a baby? Gracia is due in February,” Roy explained, crossing his arms and leaning back, looking the image of a god in black slacks and a vest.

“No, I didn’t. Tell him congratulations for me, would you?”

“Sure, sure,” Roy agreed as the old man came around the bar and pulled out a bottle of scotch. He poured Roy a glass before pouring himself one and setting the bottle back behind the counter.

“Drink up, kid. My treat,” Doc said. Roy thanked the man and sipped at his drink, closing his eyes and savoring the burning sensation left by the alcohol. Doc downed his in a quick gulp and started wiping down the bar. The phone rang and the old man tossed the towel he was using over his shoulder and hurried off to answer it, picking it up by the third ring.

While his friend was busy, the twenty-nine-year-old swiveled in his seat to inspect the little nightclub. A small stage occupied the area opposite the bar, decorated with columns of an unsavory nature for the ‘girls who just liked to dance’. Small, circular tables dotted the floor and the karaoke machine stood next to the stage and the entrance to the unisex bathroom. Dim fluorescent lights illuminated the room, but it wouldn’t be long before the strobe and colored lights flashed and danced to the pulsing music. The club was small and not well known, but it did well in the grand scheme of things.

It was still early and the club wouldn’t officially accept customers until eight, but Doc would open his doors before opening time for some of his more likable and trustworthy clientele, Roy being one of them. 

As a teenager, Roy had been smart, but without parents or mentors to encourage him he had quickly lost interest in high school. Doc, who had seen the boy faltering on his own, had offered Roy a part-time job so that he could save up money for college. If it wasn’t for the old man’s grandfatherly attention, the teenager would have had a much harder life. Roy was eternally grateful to the man and showed his appreciation by stopping by several times a week. 

The old man came back to the bar with a grumble, his bushy mustache bristling. Doc poured himself another glass of alcohol before turning back to Roy.

“Bad news?” Roy asked.

“You know, kid, you can’t find good employees anymore,” Doc sighed. “This Chris kid just called in for the third time this month. Said he won’t come in tomorrow night.”

“Chris…the dark-haired kid with spiky hair? Works Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturday nights?” Roy questioned, eyes distant as he tried to remember the boy.

“Yes, that’s the one,” Doc said with a nod. Roy always remembered the staff, never forgot a face. Hell, if Roy wasn’t so content at his job now, Doc would have given the club over to Roy a long time ago. The young man was a charmer, great with people… when he wanted to be. That was why Roy was so good at the modeling agency. 

The dashing, dark-haired youth had started as a model; the scout having found him at Doc’s nightclub. However, it wasn’t long before the agency realized Roy’s own scouting and managing abilities. The boy quickly moved up the ladder. Now Roy was one of the top dogs in the modeling world, and Doc knew that the younger man had goals to one day be the president of the entire corporation. 

“Thursday is ‘Boyz Nite’,” Roy said with a frown. “Who’s going to cover for him? I thought you just had the four of them.”

“Yeah, it’s just Paddy, Jamie, Mike and Chris on Boyz Nite these days. You would think with more guys coming out you’d get an increase in boys willing to dance and do drag, but no. Joan and Aaron left, and this Chris kid is no good. I should just fire his ass, but then we’d be down to three boys to entertain and wait on people on Thursdays. Girls aren’t allowed in on Boyz Nites, and straight guys won’t do it, not that I blame them.”

“I did a couple of Boyz Nites for you, and I lived to tell the tale,” Roy said teasingly. 

The older man barked a laugh and began rearranging some of the liquor bottles behind the counter.

“Yes, but you aren’t exactly picky when it comes to your partners, Roy,” Doc chuckled. Roy smiled and shrugged.

“I can’t help it if I appreciate beauty in all forms,” Roy said, finishing his drink and scooting the glass away from him.

“Or genders,” the old man replied, watery blue eyes crinkling in amusement. 

Doc snatched up Roy’s empty glass and raised a questioning eyebrow, silently asking if the one-time model would like another round. Roy shook his head and the old man nodded, placing the glass to the side to be washed later. 

The two sat quietly for a moment and Doc gave a heavy sigh. “I just don’t want to have to quit having Boyz Nite.”

“Yeah, I know,” Roy said, tapping his fingers on the bar thoughtfully. “I could take a look at the agency for you. We get some good kids in there.”

“Hmmm… Let me think about it, kid,” the old man said with a smile. “I have some time.”

“Sure thing, Doc.” 

The club door banged open, interrupting the two men at the bar and revealing a frazzled looking blond boy, who wrestled to shut the blasted thing before it could come off its hinges.

“Shit, it’s crazy out there!” the boy said, leaning against the door he had just blown through. “Sorry I’m late.” 

Doc glanced at the clock above the bar and then back at the blond, “You’re right on time, Edward. You always are.” 

“Oh? I was sure I was running late cause of the weather,” Ed said, redoing his long, golden braid.

“It must be so hard for you to get around in the wind,” Roy said conversationally.

“Just what are you implying by that?” Ed demanded, exotic gold eyes flashing towards the man lounging at the bar.

“Nothing. You’re just so small –” 

“Who are you calling so small that a breeze could blow him away!” snarled the offended blond, rapidly approaching the bar. 

“That would be you,” Roy said with a smirk. “I’m surprised you weren’t blown all the way to Xing.” 

“Fuck off,” Ed hissed, stomping off to the back room to do inventory and prep for the evening. Roy chuckled and turned back to Doc, who was shaking his head at the boys’ antics.

“You shouldn’t give Ed such a hard time, Roy. He’s got it rough you know.”

“Yeah, yeah. His dad split and his mom died when he was little. He’s been raising his kid brother and working odd jobs to pay the bills and put his brother through school,” Roy muttered. “I did the same, except for the raising the little brother thing.”

“Yes, well…I think it would be a little harder to give everything you’ve got for somebody else knowing that there’s a good chance that you might not have much of a future because of it. You can’t get far without a high school education these days, even if you have a ridiculously high IQ.” 

Roy didn’t respond, and looked in the direction the teen had disappeared.

“Maybe I’ll ask Ed,” Doc muttered.

“Ask Ed what?” Roy asked, confused.

“Ask to see if he’d like to work Boyz Nite.”

“The kid swings that way? Hell, is he even legal?” Roy asked in amusement, glancing at the older man. 

“Ed’s nineteen. I don’t think he swings that way, but I know money is tight for him. He’s pretty enough that he’d be able to make quite a bit on a Thursday night,” Doc said. 

Roy gave a snort of amusement, running his hand through his fine, raven hair.

“The kid is what? Five feet? He’s kinda fem with that long hair of his, but can he dance?” Roy asked, glancing at the stage across the room. “Hell, can he even talk to people? The kid’s a great worker but he never says more than he has to.” 

Roy tapped his fingers on the counter and Doc rubbed his chin in thought, knowing that Roy was right.

“You have to be pretty outgoing and tolerant to work a Boyz Nite. You know how uptight he is about his height, and you know the boys will give him some shit about it. Do you honestly think getting the kid arrested for assault will help him any?” Roy questioned, turning to watch the door to the back room again. 

Doc glanced at the door as well and gave a heavy sigh.

“You raise good points, Roy. But he’s a good kid and a hard worker and I’m willing to give him a chance if he wants to take it,” Doc said. “Oh, and Ed is five foot six and three quarters. He had me measure him the other day.”

“Hmmph. Five six is still small. We get guys in here that are twice his size. What would he do if one of them decided to get a bit rough in their advances?” Roy said, standing up and wandering over to the karaoke machine.

“Ed can take care of himself, Roy. He’s been taking care of himself and his brother for years, and he’s broken up some fights here before too,” Doc said with a chuckle. The old man found it cute that Roy was worrying over the younger boy, though the dark-haired playboy would never admit to such a thing.

“Breaking up a fight is different than having someone make sexual advances on you,” Roy muttered, flipping through the first song book. Oldies, rock, rap, jazz, disco, dance; they all blurred together as Roy skimmed through the lists. 

“Yes, and you would certainly know all about that, wouldn’t you Roy?” Doc quipped. “As I recall, your first time working Boyz Nite was something of an experience for you.”

“It was.” Roy chuckled, “Though it wasn’t the customers that gave me trouble.”

“I thought I was going to have to fire two of my better employees and call the cops on them,” Doc recalled. “Sam and Cody roughed you up quite a bit.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t call it ‘roughing me up’.” Roy smirked, closing the song book and turning to face Doc. “It was more like they backed me into a corner and made lewd suggestions as a joke. I think they were pretty surprised when I accepted their offers,” Roy said, laughing at the memory of the boys’ faces. “And then you came into the dressing room to see what was taking us so long to change.”

“Cody was holding you from behind and Sam had you in his mouth. You had this look of pleasure and terror on your face. What was I supposed to think?” Doc defended with a chuckle. “And then you yelled at me to get the fuck out. I didn’t know what else to do, so I just closed the door and waited for you three to finish.”

Roy laughed harder and leaned against the brightly colored karaoke machine.

“That was the first time I had ever been with a guy,” Roy explained, still laughing. “Naturally I was scared, especially when Cody took my arms so that I wouldn’t yank Sam bald.”

“I wasn’t even aware that you were interested in the same sex at the time,” the old man confided. Roy wiped a tear from his eye and took a shaky breath, trying to end his fit of laugher.

“I wasn’t really. It was a whim. Normally I think things through, only that time – that time curiosity got the better of me. Half way through I suddenly realized what I had gotten myself into, but by then I was too far gone to stop,” Roy recalled. “Sam gives some damn good head. He’s probably the only reason I continued experimenting with men.”

“And you’re the reason I have gray hair, Roy,” the old man teased. Roy gave a snort of amusement.  
Doc swatted at the man he had come to adore as a son and Roy ducked out of the way, feigning a hurt look.

“You were gray when you hired me,” Roy replied in an accusing tone, his hurt look giving way to a devilish grin.

“Only because I knew you were coming, kid,” Doc defended. The two men laughed a bit more and Roy pulled out the second song book to look through.

“Anyway, I was open with my sexuality, if a little inexperienced. But Ed doesn’t strike me as the type that would accept a blowjob from a guy,” Roy said, brining their discussion back to their original topic. “Actually, the kid doesn’t strike me as someone who’s had many sexual experiences at all.”

“I haven’t, though it’s not really any of your business, now is it?” Ed said coolly, leaning against the back room door. Roy jumped guiltily and Doc chuckled as the blond glared daggers at them both. 

“So, care to tell me why my sex life is up for debate?” Ed growled, crossing his arms.

“Nope,” Roy said simply, turning back to the song book. Ed’s growl deepened and he turned his fiery stare on Doc. The old man held his hands up and patted the air a bit to try and sooth the riled teen, but Ed only glowered harder. The blond made his way behind the bar and began pulling glasses down to be cleaned, muttering obscenities under his breath. Doc rolled his eyes at the immature antics of both Roy and Ed.

“Hey Ed, how’d you like to make some extra money?” Doc asked, wetting his washcloth and moving out onto the floor to wipe down tables.

“Doing what?” Ed asked suspiciously, thinking about how the topic of conversation had just been his sex life. “I’m not sleeping with anybody.”

Doc laughed. Really, the kid was sharp.

“I’m not expecting you to sleep with anybody, Ed,” Doc said. “I was wondering if you’d be willing to work tomorrow night.”

“Thursday?” Ed looked up at his employer and froze. “But Thursday’s Boyz Nite.”

“Yes. Chris said he can’t come in tomorrow night. Will you cover for him?” Doc asked patiently. He didn’t want to force the teen one way or another. The choice was Ed’s to make and he could see the wheels behind those fierce gold eyes turning.

“What would I have to do?” Ed asked hesitantly, watching Doc with a cautious but thoughtful look.

“You would wait on customers like you do normally.”

Roy gave a low chuckle and flipped to a different page of songs.

“Except the customers are all guys who will be checking me out,” Ed said with a nervous look at Roy.

“Full of yourself much?” Roy teased, looking up at the pretty blond boy. “Thinking all those guys would look at you. Why would they?”

“I-I didn’t mean- It’s not like that! Shut up!” the blond yelled, glaring at Roy. The effect was ruined by the faint blush that dusted the teen’s cheeks, however.

“Enough, Roy,” Doc scolded gently before turning back to Ed. “Yes, there’s the possibility that the customers will hit on you.”

Ed shifted nervously where he stood, his sneakers squeaking on the black tiled floor.

“Is there anything else I would have to do?” the blond whispered, looking down at his feet and tugging at the side seam of his faded jeans.

“If there is a request for it, you will have to get up and dance on stage. Sometimes some of the guys will ask you to do karaoke with them too,” Doc explained. Ed looked up, wide eyed.

“Dance how?” he asked, voice stressed.

“How do you think, Ed? How do people normally dance on stage in a club?” Roy snickered, loving how anxious the boy seemed to be getting. Huge gold eyes darted between Roy and Doc.

“It’s not a strip tease or anything,” Doc said, ignoring Roy. “You just dance to the music and maybe use the poles a bit, just try to be sexy or cute.”

“I dunno if he could pull off sexy as short as he is,” Roy taunted and ducked as the damp washrag Ed was using was flung at his head.

“I can be sexy!” Ed snarled. “And don’t call me short!”

“Sure you can, kid,” Roy said mockingly.

“I’m not a kid!” Ed yelled, stomping over to where the washrag had landed and snatching up the dirtied piece of cloth with a vengeance. The blond turned on Roy and crowded the older male up against the karaoke machine. Roy raised his eyebrows in amusement.

“I may not be very old, but I’ve seen and done more than you can even imagine,” Ed hissed, standing on his tiptoes to better meet Roy’s eyes.

“Oh really?” Roy purred, leaning down so that he was practically nose to nose with the teen. “Let’s see then. I am imagining you lying face down in a bed with that lovely sculpted ass of yours sticking up as some guy thrusts into you from behind. You moan his name and fight back tears as he wraps his hand around your swollen cock and you beg him for more, arching back as he fills you. So tell me, Ed. You’ve done more than that?” 

The teen turned crimson and backpedaled several feet.

“That’s not what I meant by that and you know it!” Ed said, shocked and embarrassed.

“Perhaps you should learn to be a little more articulate then,” Roy countered with an arrogant smirk.

“You are such a bastard!” Ed hissed.

“Enough, Roy. Ed,” Doc barked, more amused than annoyed with their antics. 

“Ed, you get time and a half for Thursday plus whatever tips the customers give you. The choice is yours. You don’t have to do it if you’re uncomfortable with it.”

Ed glanced nervously at the stage and then back at Doc.

“It’s just a one-time thing, right?” the blond asked.

“Yes,” Doc replied. “At least for now. I suppose if you actually like it and do a decent job I would be willing to let you work every Thursday, but I’m not making any promises until I see how you do, kid.” 

Ed stood quietly, staring at the stage, lost in thought. Doc waited patiently for an answer and Roy debated cracking another joke at the blond’s expense.

“O-okay,” Ed said shakily. “Just this once.”

“Good,” Doc said with a smile. “You can show up at the regular time and Paddy can explain a bit more on how things usually go.”

“Um, okay,” Ed said weakly.

“Relax, Ed. It’ll be fine. You’re not the first straight guy to work a Boyz Nite,” Doc assured the blond.

“I don’t ever recall Ed saying that he’s straight,” Roy interjected. 

“That’s cause it’s none of your god damned business!” Ed snapped, rounding on Roy. 

“Maybe you liked that image I conjured, you bent over and begging for –” 

Roy didn’t even see the kid swing. 

Catching himself against the rough brick wall, Roy stood shocked, ears ringing, holding his cheek lightly as the furious blond teen glared up at him, gold eyes filled with disgust and humiliation.

“You are sick, Mustang,” Ed hissed, voice so low that Roy could barely make it out. “If you fucking want to know so badly then I’ll tell you. I’m straight and I’ve only been with two girls. It’s just that some of us have enough tact to fucking keep our mouths shut about our sex lives, about something that’s private and should be kept between two people. It’s nobody’s god damned business, least of all yours. Learn some fucking discretion.” 

Ed turned, passing by Doc and heading into the back room, slamming the door shut, and leaving the two men alone once more. Doc sighed.

“I told you to lay off, Roy,” Doc said as he began to wipe off tables again. “Are you okay? It sounded like he got you pretty hard.”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Roy said, still stunned, but dropping his hand from his cheek. An angry red mark flared against the man’s pale skin, and the sharp ache dulled to a throb. 

“I told you he could take care of himself,” Doc said with a chuckle at Roy’s shocked expression.

“Is this going to turn into a bunch of I told you so’s? Because if it is I’m just going to go,” muttered Roy. 

“No, it’s not,” said Doc. “I’m just hoping you learned your lesson about not underestimating the boy.”

“Yeah, well, I’m definitely not getting close enough for him to hit me next time I decide to tease him,” Roy said, his expression turning more normal, if not a bit embarrassed. “I haven’t been taken off guard like that in a long time. I hope it doesn’t bruise.” 

“A solid beating does a person good now and then. You certainly had it coming, Roy. That kid puts up with a lot of shit from you.”

“What do you suppose that means?” Roy asked.

“Well, my guess is that he likes you well enough, or else he likes me enough to not want to offend me by offending you,” Doc said, finishing the tables and heading back to the bar.

Roy followed the old man, glancing in the mirror behind the bar, happy to see that his face felt worse than it looked. 

“Likes me? Why? And as what?” 

“Perhaps as a role model, though after that little display I would dare say he’s rethinking that.”

“A role model?” Roy asked, turning away from the mirror. “Why?”

“Why? Well, let’s see, Roy, you come from a similar background and managed to make your way through all the shit life’s handed you and you’ve come out on top. You’re educated and have a decent job that you enjoy and are now leading a comfortable life.” Doc explained.

“He’s only known me for the three months since he started working here. I can’t possibly be a role model for him. We aren’t even what I’d consider friends. Just odd acquaintances,” Roy said, sitting down on a barstool.

“The kid is smart, Roy. He knows a good life and a good man when he sees it. And if you’d stop tormenting the hell out of him for five minutes, maybe you could get to know him a bit and become friends,” Doc said. “I think you would honestly enjoy talking with him. He may not have gone to high school, but the kid is brilliant, Roy, a potential Einstein. It’s shit that he has to work crap jobs like these to get by when he could actually make something of himself. I’m not kidding when I say that he’s scientist material.”

“Seriously?” Roy asked, curious now.

“Yeah. He came in here the other day talking about some bio-mechanical engineering project. The stuff he was saying made my head spin, but he understood all of it,” Doc said.

“The Rockbell Project?” Roy asked. “The one where they’re creating mechanical limbs that attach directly to the nerves so that amputees can have full movement again?”

“Yeah, that’s the one. They’re calling it automail,” Doc informed.

“He understands that?” Roy questioned in awe. “I’ve been trying to follow that for a while and I can’t even wrap my head around it. And you know I meddled in chemistry for quite a while.”

Doc nodded and leaned forward with his elbows on the bar.

“Yeah, the kid is smart. He could really make something of himself,” Doc said. “You know, I often thought of asking you if he’d do any good at that agency of yours. He’d probably make more money there than here.”

“Ed? A model?” Roy paused and thought about it for a moment. “I guess I never considered it because of his height. Models are usually tall, at least six foot, but he’s definitely got the looks otherwise. Yeah, he’s definitely attractive enough, but his height is a problem.” 

“Well, it was a thought,” Doc said with a shrug. “I’d just like to see the kid break away and make something of himself before the darker side of life gets a hold of him.”

Roy nodded and glanced towards the door Edward had fled through

“Really, Doc, I’m not sure about him working tomorrow night. Boyz Nite is as close to legal prostitution as it gets. That and did you see the way the kid was looking at the stage? I bet he can’t dance,” Roy said with a slight frown.

“That’s why I’m having him come in at six thirty when Paddy gets here. He’ll help the kid out. Ed will be fine, Roy,” Doc assured the younger male. “And if you’re that worried about him you should drop by tomorrow.”

“Oh, I plan on it. Not because I’m worried about him, though,” Roy said, eyes shifting to the back room door. “I wouldn’t miss a chance to see the kid crash and burn.”

Doc sighed and rolled his eyes. Sometimes Roy was just flat out immature.

The front door suddenly burst open as three women tumbled out of the rain with laughter and curses.

“Is it seven already?” Doc asked, glancing at the clock as the women straightened themselves out and headed over to the bar.

“It’s gonna be a slow night, boss,” Martel said, running her hand through her short blond hair, green eyes smiling.

“The weather is going to discourage a lot of people,” the buxom brunette named Lust agreed.

“Well maybe you girls will get the chance to work out a new routine tonight,” Doc suggested, raising his gray eyebrows questioningly at the last woman who approached the bar.

“I don’t see why not,” Riza agreed, smoothing back her long blonde hair. 

Roy watched in enjoyment as the girls took off their jackets, revealing tight jeans and low cut shirts. Martel caught Roy’s eye and winked at him, bending down a bit to give the dark-haired man a better look. 

“Good, and maybe if you have time and are up to it you could show Ed some dance moves,” Doc said.

“Edward?” Riza asked, her red eyes curious. “Why would Ed need to learn to dance?”

“Doc has him working Boyz Nite tomorrow,” Roy said, turning away from Martel and eyeing the tall blonde woman. Riza gave the man a quick glare of distaste before turning back to her boss. 

“Ed never struck me as the type to be into that sort of thing,” Riza said.

“Yeah, I always thought he was straight. I mean, the kid is hot and if I didn’t feel like I was committing statutory rape I’d totally snatch him up,” Martel purred with another flirtatious wink at Roy.

Roy gave a devious grin and slowly licked his lips, earning a pleased smile from the petite, blonde girl.

“Ed is straight. Chris called in and I asked Ed to cover for him since I know he’s having a hard time right now,” Doc explained.

“I see,” Riza murmured, tapping her fingers on the bar. “Yes, if we get the chance I don’t mind showing Ed a thing or two.”

“Excellent,” Doc said, smiling at the imposing blonde woman.

Riza glanced over at Roy and Martel, giving the girl a disapproving look. Martel rolled her eyes and backed away from Roy, who looked a little put out at having his fun spoiled.

“Well, as much as I’d love to stick around and see this disaster, I’d rather see the catastrophe in action tomorrow night. I’ll see you later, Doc…ladies,” Roy said, nodding at the older man and passing by Martel with a wolfish grin. Once Roy was gone, Riza turned back to Doc with a frown.

“Really, I don’t understand what you see in him. He’s just another player.”

“He’s a good kid, Riza, even if he’s a little wayward,” Doc assured the woman. Riza rolled her eyes and turned to the other women.

“Shall we warm up?” Riza asked. The girls agreed and the women headed to the stage as Doc turned on the music.

Martel had been correct. The night was terribly absent of customers, only a few odd men in need of a serious drink popping in and out. The girls worked out a new routine as Ed and Doc chatted behind the bar. At about ten, Riza dragged an embarrassed and reluctant Edward onto the stage.

As it turned out, Ed didn’t need dance lessons at all.


End file.
